Rafaello (37 West 46th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue, NY, NY 10036 – Tel:212.575.6550), is set to revolutionize what we call kosher pizza, here in New York; the owner is Italian (and operates a famous restaurant in Rome), and so is the Chef. This past Sunday, I stopped by to see what the fuss was about, not only can I testify that everything I’d heard was true, but actually it all was an understatement. They offer 17 different types of pizza, including one gluten free, two different calzones, salads and three different types of pasta. But it is that pizza of theirs where they truly shine; as their website says:

The thin crust made with a dough left to rise for 2 days in order to minimize the amount of yeast and make it more digestible together with hand picked fresh ingredients makes it the perfect meal.

At Raffaello pizza slices are not triangular, they are rectangular and sizes are generous; the choices are as pleasant to the eye, as they are in aroma, as they are to the palate…

Slices of Eggplant Pizza and Black Olive with San Marzano Tomatoes and Mozarella… both types are mouth watering!

Cheese, pasta and black olives…

The calzones come freshly baked rather than rewarmed – as other establishments all too often do – filled with vegetables and oozing with melted cheese…

But I was in for a big delicious surprise at the end, at the recommendation of a couple next to my table I ordered the dessert pizza…

It didn’t look as elegant as the selections that preceded it, but the Chocolate Pizza with hot hazelnut spread and powdered sugar was better than I could ever have imagined, it certainly was a great way to end the meal. As a result of all the above, when I somehow found myself in the neighborhood at lunch time, yesterday, I just had to go back!